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It has been six years since Ahmed Suale Hussein, an investigative journalist with Anas Aremeyaw Anas’s Tiger Eye PI, was gunned down by unidentified men on motorbikes. They attacked him in his vehicle on Wednesday, 16 January 2019, shooting him three times: twice in the chest and once in the neck.
That brutal act shook the entire nation and drew global attention. In newsrooms across Ghana, journalists asked themselves a chilling question: who would be next? The public outcry was immense, with civil society groups, the media, and political leaders demanding that the killers be found and punished.
This newspaper wishes to remind President John Dramani Mahama of his promise to ensure justice for Ahmed Suale. This reminder is necessary in light of the President’s recent assurance that his administration will not tolerate intimidation, interference, or violence against journalists.
Speaking at the 29th Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Media Awards on Saturday, November 8, President Mahama reaffirmed his government’s commitment to safeguarding press freedom and the safety of media professionals. He stated clearly: “Under my leadership, this government will neither sanction nor tolerate any form of intimidation, interference, or attacks on journalists.”
Addressing the theme “Self-Guarding Ghana: The Role of the Media in Promoting Security and Peace,” the President pledged to restore the atmosphere of media freedom that defined Ghana’s democracy before 2017. “My administration has chosen the path of restoring the spirit of pre-2017 Ghana, when freedom of expression, institutional respect, and journalistic safety defined our democratic experience,” he said.
This newspaper welcomes the President’s assurances. But we remain deeply troubled that six years after Ahmed Suale’s murder, justice has still not been served. His family continues to wait, year after year, for accountability. Not a single person has been arrested or prosecuted, despite multiple promises from state authorities.
Six years on, the unresolved murder of Ahmed Suale stands as a painful reminder of a state that has failed to protect one of its own. It raises uncomfortable questions about our collective commitment to defending the vulnerable and safeguarding the freedoms we claim to cherish.
It is time for those promises to be honored. Justice delayed must not become justice denied.
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